1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connector, more particularly to a connector which electrically connects a flat object to be connected, such as an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) or an FFC (Flexible Flat Cable), and the other object to be connected with each other.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there has been proposed a connector for flat cables (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2007-323867).
This connector is comprised of a housing, a plurality of contacts, an actuator, and a pair of locking portions.
The housing includes an insertion opening for inserting a front end of the flat cable. The housing has opposite ends formed with auxiliary fitting-accommodating recesses.
A plurality of contacts are disposed in the housing at equally-spaced intervals.
The actuator is attached to the housing such that it is rotatable between an open position and a closed position. The actuator has opposite ends formed with locked portions which have a substantially protrusion-like shape.
Each of a pair of locking portions is accommodated in the associated auxiliary fitting-accommodating recess, and is fixed to the housing. The locking portion is made of a metal plate having elasticity, and has a substantially claw-like shape.
When the actuator is in the open position, it is possible to insert the flat cable into the insertion opening of the housing. When the actuator is in the closed position, the actuator covers the insertion opening of the housing, and pushes the flat cable against the contact.
When the actuator is rotated from the open position to the closed position, the locked portions of the actuator push aside the locking portions by elastically deforming the same against spring force thereof, to thereby go under the locking portions. This causes the locked portions to be hooked on the locking portions, thereby the actuator is locked in the closed position.
When the actuator in the locked state is rotated to the open position, the locked portions of the actuator push aside the locking portions by elastically deforming the same against the spring force thereof, whereby the actuator is unlocked. This makes it possible to make the actuator reach to the open position.
In the above-described connector, a locking member is formed by a metal plate having elasticity, and an area of engagement of the locked portion of the actuator and the locking portion is narrow. Therefore, if the flat cable is pulled in a direction of the height of the connector by some cause, there is a fear that the actuator is released from the locked state, whereby the flat cable comes off the connector.